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5.04/23/2026

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About Alison

Professor Alison Heather is a Professor in the Department of Physiology, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, at the University of Otago. She holds a BSc(Hons) and PhD. Her research focuses on how sex hormones, estrogen and testosterone, affect non-reproductive tissues in the body. Her primary investigations examine how these hormones promote calcification of atherosclerotic plaques, the major underlying cause of cardiovascular disease, where plaque calcification leads to increased rupture risk, resulting in heart attacks and strokes. The work in her laboratory seeks to improve understanding and safety of hormone replacement treatments. Additionally, her team develops bioassays for detecting designer androgens and estrogens used as doping agents in sports. The Heather Lab also explores mechanisms of sex hormone effects on skeletal muscle anabolism and advanced cell-based detection methods for prohibited substances.